The second tender named Spruce has often been
confused with the first tender of that name. The first Spruce
was a former Army mine planter that was decommissioned in 1946 and was sold
in 1947. The second Spruce was a former Army FS vessel acquired
by the Coast Guard in 1947 and designated WAK-246, which was given the same
hull number as the first Spruce but a different designation,
reflecting her purpose of delivering construction and logistic supplies to
the expanding Pacific LORAN chain. The USS FS-222 had served with a
Coast Guard crew during the war.

The ex-FS-222 was turned over from the Army to the
Coast Guard on 18 January 1946. She was commissioned as Spruce
(WAK-246) and was assigned the home port of Honolulu. Due to a lack of
personnel, she was ordered to steam to Seattle in 1947, where she was place
"out of commission, in reserve." She was formally
decommissioned on 6 January 1948 and was placed in storage at the Coast
Guard Moorings at Kennydale, Washington. She was turned over to the
Coast & Geodetic Survey on 17 May 1950.